Metal sheet stacking apparatus



Dec. 27, 1949 J, M, ROYAL METAL SHEET STACKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1945 Dec. 27, 1949 J. M. ROYAL 2,492,889

METAL SHEET STACKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 22, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 :inventor fmEJ M oyd/Z, www, 0M: Aim

Gttomegs Patented Dec. 2'7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE METAL SHEET STACKING APPARATUS Application Gctobcr 22, 1945, Serial No. 623,763

13 Claims.

The invention relates generally to apparatus for handling metal sheets or other articles and primarily seeks to provide novel means for effecting magnetic selection and distribution of such sheets or articles.

` An object of the invention is to provide novel means for conveying such sheets in processional order over a plurality of longitudinally spaced stacking stations and for bringing about the stacking of some sheets at one station and other sheets at another station.

Another object of the invention is to provide sheet handling and stacking means of the character stated wherein alternate sheets are alternately stacked in two individual longitudinally spaced stacks.

Another object of the invention is to provide metal sheet handling apparatus of the character stated in which there is provided a travelling belt, permanent magnet means closely overlying the belt and effective to hold a sheet against the belt and cause it to move therewith, and means for moving the mag'net means away from the belt to cause the sheet being moved to fall away at a selected position.

Another object of the invention is to provide metal sheet handling apparatus of the character stated wherein the magnet moving means includes a rotary cam operating in timed relation to the travelling belt.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metal sheet stacking apparatus wherein are included two longitudinally spaced stack receivers, means normally effective to feed successive sheets into the rst encountered stack receiver, and means including a feeder belt and magnet means eilective to attract selected sheets to the belt to be carried thereby over said rst encountered stack receiver and to release them into the other stack receiver.

Another object of the invention is to provide in apparatus of the character stated novel threepoint or three position support for each sheet as it approaches a given stack receiver comprising side edge supports engaging Ithe sheet close to its side edges, and a transversely disposed roll over which the sheet passes just prior to the falling of p the trailing edge of the sheet into said receiver.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a sheet* contacting apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view, parts being broken away.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 3--3 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 4-4 on Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 5-5 on Figure 2 and illustrating the manner in which the magnets are lifted and lowered.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 6-6 on Figure 2, the magnets being shown as lifted and a sheet being shown in the process of falling onto the stack.

Figure 7 is a vertical cross section taken through the structure shown in Figure 6, the downward bowing of the sheet being fed being clearly shown.

Figure 8 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 2.

In the example cf embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, the improved sheet stacking apparatus is shown as mounted on framing 5 of a scroll shear equipment including any improved form of cutting shears of which the stationary shear 6 alone is herein shown mounted near the discharge end of a feed bed 1 over which the metal scroll or sheets are fed by any approved means (not shown).

The improved stacking apparatus preferably is supported on standards 8 which are secured as at 9 on the previously mentioned framing 5. To the upper ends of the standards 8 are secured two laterally spaced, parallel channel beams I0, and said beams are connected at their free ends by a cross frame piece I I.

An idler roller I2 extends across between the beams I0 adjacent the standard supported ends thereof and is rotatably supported in bearings I3 secured to said beams. A plurality (five being shown) of feeder belts I4 pass over the idler roller I2 and extend toward the shearing station adjacent which they pass over a driver roll I5 rotatably mounted in bearings I6. The roll I5r has a gear II secured thereon which is driven by a gear I8 secured on a pulley shaft I9 rotatably mounted in bearings 20 having fixed thereon a sprocket 2I which is driven by sprocket and chain connections 22 from a drive shaft 23 forming a part of the scroll shear unit. .See Figures 1 and 2. The drive chain is held tight by an adjustably mounted tightener roll 24.

Two pulleys 25 are mounted on the pulley shaft I9, and two laterally spaced, parallel belts 28 casacca pass over said pulley and over the idler pulleys 21 mounted on the'idler shaft 23 which is rotatably mounted in adjustable bearings 29 adjacent the free ends of the beams I0.

It will be apparent by reference to Figure 1 that the lower nights of the belts 26 pass over and contact with the upper portion of an idler rest roll 3l which is rotatably supported in bearings 3| secured to the beams I0.

Just beyond the idler roll I2 there is rigidly supported a cross wall 32 defining the entrant portion of a nrst stack receiver or compartment, and just beyond the idler rest roll 30 is rigidly mounted a cross wall 33 denning the entrant portion of a second stack receiver or compartment.

The nrst stack receiver is completed by a forward wall 34 depending from the beams l0 in parallel spaced relation to the wall 32 and preferably equipped with a relatively soft face piece 3l with which the sheets fed into the receiver can contact without being damaged, and two parallel side walls 36 carried by and extending below the angle iron edge supporting rails 31 and having upstanding guide wall portions 38. The rails 31 and the walls 36 are mounted at the inner ends of carriers 39 which are adjustably supported as at 4l by the beams I0.

The second stack receiver or compartment is completed by a forward wall 4I which depends from the beams I in parallel spaced relation to the wall 33 and preferably is equipped with a relatively soft face piece 42 to be contacted by the sheets fed into the receiver, and to parallel side walls 43 carried by and extending below the angle iron edge supporting rails 44 and having upstanding guide wall portions 45. The rails 44 are mounted on the inner ends of carriers 43 which are adjustably supported as at 41 by the beams Il. Individual noors may be provided under the nrst and second stack receivers, if desired, or as ingle skid 48 may provide a noor common to both receivers and may be supported and lifted and lowered by any approved means (not shown).

Between the nights of each belt 23 and extending over the nrst stack receiver and toward the shearing station is an angle. member or bar 43, and said bars are connected in parallel, laterally spaced relation by cross pieces l. Each bar 49 has three permanent magnets 5I secured as at 52 thereon to depend therefrom in the manner clearlyillustrated in Figures 1 and 4 oi' the drawings. Two rocker shafts 53 extend across between the beams Il and the upper and lower nights of the belt 25 and are rockably mounted as at 54 on said beams. Each of the rocker shafts 53 has two cranks 55 projecting therefrom, and each pair of cranks is pivotally connected at the free ends with the magnet carrying bars 49 through the medium of pivot pins 56. It will also be apparent by reference to Figures l, 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings that a crank arm 51 is mounted on the end of each rocker shaft 53 where it extends through the upright wall of one of the beams I D, and the two cranks 51 have their free ends pivotally connected with an actuator bar 5B equipped with a roller 59 at the end thereof extending toward the shearing station. It will be apparent that by reciprocating the actuator bar 58 in the direction of its length the rocker shaft 53 will be rocked and the crank arms 55 oscillated in a manner for lifting and lowering the bars 49 and the permanent magnets 5I carried thereon. It is to be understood that when the magnets are lowered they will lie closely over the lower nights of the belts 2l and will serve to attract and hold metal sheets against said belt nights so that the sheets will be caused to move therewith, and when the magnets are lifted they will no longer be effective to attract an'd hold sheets against the lower belt night.

, In order to provide for the lifting and lowering of the magnets so as to bring about an alternate feeding of the metal sheets into the nrst and second stack receivers there is provided a cam ll disposed in position for engaging the roller Il at the end of the actuator bar 58 and having a concentric dwell portion 3| effective to dennitely position the magnets in their raisedr inen'ective conditionl and a raised portion or hump 82 which is en'ective to bring about a lowering of the magnets or in other words to place them in their effective, sheet attracting position, in opposition to the action of the retractile, magnet lifting spring 61. 'I'he cam 80 is secured on a shaft 33 which is rotatably mounted in bearing plates 34 supported by the beam IL The shaft 53 has a large gear 65 nxed thereon, and this large gear meshes with and is driven by a small gear I6 secured on the roll I5 which drives the belts I4.

Hanger straps 68 may be attached to the upper surfaces of the beams I0 toward the free'ends thereof and attached at their ends to suitable supporting standards on the shear unit to provide additional support for the stacking apparatus, if desired. Y

It will be apparent from the foregoing, and by reference to the several ngures oi' the drawings that the individual metal sheets cut by the scroll shears from a continuous strip or from large sheets will be fed by the feeding devices (not shown) between the upper nights of the lower belts I4 and the lower nights of the upper belts 25, and these equipments are normally effective to feed the sheets toward and into lthe nrst stack receiver. During normal operation of the apparatus, the parts are so timed with the operation of the feeding device and the scroll shears 4;, that the actuator bar 55 yieldably held against the cam by the anchored spring 68 will be operated to lift and lower the magnets 5 I so as to cause the sheets to be alternately fed into the nrst and second stack receivers. While the actuator 50 bar roller 53 is contacting the dwell 6I the magnets 5I will be lifted out of their effective, sheet attractingposition, and a sheet will be Vfed into the nrst stack receiver, and then while said roller is engaging the cam hump 62, the magnets 5I 5;, will be held in their lowered, sheet attracting' position and the next sheet will be held against the lower nights of the upper belts 26 and will be caused to move over the nrst stack receiver and the roll 30 and int the second stack receiver. This alternate feeding of the sheets into the nrst and second stack receivers will continue as long as the apparatus is operated in the manner stated.

As the sheets are fed into one or the other of the stack receivers, they are given three-point or three position support, namely, by the roll I2 or 30 across the body and trailing edge of the sheet, and at their lateral edges only by the edge supporting rails 31, thus as the leading edge of each 70 sheet passes well beyond the respective roll I2 or 30 the unsupported central portion of said leading edge will bend downwardly and the side edges will gradually slide on the supporting rails 31 so that the sheet will fall Without damage into the stack receiver. By reason of the provision of the relaaceassc should it be desired te feed au sheets mto' one or the other of the stack receivers, this can be accomplished by a simple adjustment of the mechanism, It will be apparent that by removing the large gear 65 with the cam 60 disposed with its hump or extension 62 in engagement with the actuator bar roller 59 so as to maintain the magnets il in the lowered, effective position, all sheets will be attracted by' the magnets and held against the' lower flights of the belts 26 so as to be l'ed into the second stack receiver. It will also be apparent that by removing the gear with the concentric dwell portion 8l of the cam in engagement with the actuator bar roller 59 so as to place the magnets 5l in their lifted ineffective position, all sheets will fall into the first stack receiver.

While one form of the invention has been shown for purposesof illustration, it is to be clearly understoodthat various changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asv defined in the appended claims.

I claim: A

l. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character described, a travelling belt, magnet means closely overlying said belt and effective to hold a sheet against the belt and cause the sheet to move with said belt, and means for moving the magnet means away from the belt after the sheet has been moved a predetermined distance to cause the sheet to fall away and be deposited at a predetermined receiving station.

2. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character described, a travelling belt, magnet means closely overlying said belt and effective to hold a sheet against the belt and cause the sheet to move with said belt, and means for moving the magnet means away from the belt after the sheet has been moved a predetermined distance to cause the sheet to fall away and be deposited at a predetermined receiving station, said magnet moving means including a rotary cam operating in timed relation to the travelling belt.

3. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character describedfa travelling belt, a longitudinal bar extending along said belt, a plurality of permanent magnets supported by said bar in position for overlying said belt, crank and link connections supporting saidl bar and shiftable to lower the magnets into close proximity to the belt to render them effective to hold a sheet against the belt and cause the sheet to move with said belt or to lift the magnets out of said effective sheet holding position, and rotary cam means for shifting said bar supporting connections in timed relation to the travelling belt so as to determine the distance of movement of sheets with the belt and the place at which said sheets will fall away from said belt.

4. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character described, first and second longitudinally spaced stack receivers, means normally effective to feed sheets into the flrst receiver, and means including a feed belt and magnet means movable toward and from said belt and effective when proximate to said belt to attract selected sheets and hold them against the belt to be moved thereby over the first receiver and to release them into the second receiver.

5. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character described, nrst and second longitudinally spaced stack receivers.' means normally effective to feed sheets into the first receiver,

means including a feed belt and magnet means L'il effective to attract selected sheets and hold them against the belt to be moved thereby over the nrst receiver and to release them into the second receiver, and means for bodily displacing the magnet means from etective sheet attracting position when it is desired to deposit a sheet in the first receiver and for again returning the magnet means to its effective sheet attracting position when it is desired to deposit a sheet in the second receiver.

6. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the' character described, first and second longitudinally spaced stack receivers, means normally effective to feed sheets into the rst receiver, means including a feed belt and magnet means effective to attract selected sheets and hold them against the belt to be moved thereby over the first receiver and to release them into the second receiver, and means for regularly and alternately displacing the magnet means from effective sheet attracting position and returning the same to effective sheet attracting position to deposit sheets alternately into said first and second receivers.

'7. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character described. first and second' longitudinally spaced stack receivers, feed belt means effective to move sheets toward and into the rst receiver, feed belt means extending over the first mentioned feed belt means the ilrst receiver and at least to the second receiver, permanent magnets closely overlying the belt means over the first receiver and effective to attract sheets and hold them against the underlying belt means so as to cause the attracted sheets to be moved over the first receiver to the second receiver, and magnet lifting and lowering means operable at regular intervals in timed relation tothe movement of the feed belt means to alternately displace the magnets from and replace them in effective position thereby to cause sheets to be deposited alternately into said flrst and second receivers.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which the magnet lifting and lowering means comprises bar means extending longitudinally in position for supporting the magnets over the underlying belt, a pair of rocker shafts having cranks thereon pivotally connected with the bar means, cranks on said shafts disposed in parallel relation, a link connecting the last named cranks, and cam means for longitudinally shifting said link.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which the magnet lifting and lowering means comprisesbar means extending longitudinally in position for supporting the magnets over the underlying belt, a pair of rocker shafts having cranks thereon pivotally connected with the bar means, cranks on said shafts disposed in parallel relation, a link connecting the last named cranks, and a rotary cam having its periphery disposed for engaging and longitudinally shifting said link and having a concentric dwell portion eifective to maintain the link in magnet lowered position and a raised portion effective to move the link to the magnet lifting position and then again release the same and permit it to return to the magnet lowered position.

l0. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character described, first and second longitudinally spaced stack receivers, feed belt means effective to move sheets toward and into the nrst receiver, feed belt means extending over the rst mentioned feed belt means the first receiver and at least to the second receiver, magnet means closely overlying the belt means over the first receiver and effective to attract sheets and hold them against the underlying belt means so as to cause the attracted sheets to be moved over the first receiver to the second receiver, an idler roll extending transversely adjacent to the entrant end of the second receiver and with the upper surface of which the second mentioned feed belt means contacts, means for rendering said magnet means ineffective at regular intervals in timed relation to the movement of the feed belt means to cause sheets to be deposited alternately into said first and second receivers, and longitudinal sheet edge supports extending in the direction of feed from said roll and being spaced apart a distance for supporting the sheets at the lateral edges only so that the sheets are free to flex downwardly after passing a distance beyond the roll and fall freely into the second receiver between said edge supports.

-11. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character described, first and second longitudinally spaced stack receivers, feed belt means effective to move sheets toward and into the first receiver, feed belt means extending over the first mentioned feed belt means the first receiver and at least to the second receiver, magnet means closely overlying the belt means over the first receiver and effective to attract sheets and hold them against the underlying belt means so as to cause the attracted sheets to be moved over the first receiver to the second receiver, said first mentioned feed belt means passing over an idler roll extending transversely adjacent to the entrant end of the first receiver and being disposed for engaging beneath sheets which are engaged above by the second mentioned feed belt means, longitudinal sheet edge supports extending in the direction of feed from said roll and being spaced apart a distance for supporting the sheets at the lateral edges only so that the sheets are free to flex downwardly after passing a distance beyond the roll and fall freely into the rst receiver between said edge Supports, and means for rendering said magnet means ineffective at regular intervals in timed relation to the movement of the feed belt means to 'cause sheets to be deposited alternately into said first and second receivers.

12. In metal sheet handling apparatus of the character described, first and second longitudinally spaced stack receivers, feed belt means effective to move sheets toward and into the first receiver, feed belt means extending over the first mentioned feed belt means the first receiver andat least to the second receiver, magnet means closely overlying the belt means over the first re' ceiver and effective to attract sheets and hold them against the underlying belt means so as to cause the attracted sheets to be moved over the flrst receiver to the second receiver, said first mentioned feed belt means passing over an idler roll extending transversely adjacent to the entrant end of the first receiver and being disposed for engaging beneath sheets which are engaged above.

by the second mentioned feed belt means, longitudinal sheet edge supports extending in the direction of feed from said roll and being spaced apart a distance for supporting the sheets at thev lateral edges only so that the sheets are free to flex downwardly after passing a distance beyond the roll and fall freely into the first receiver between said edges supports, an idler roll extending transversely adjacent to the entrant end of the second mentioned roll and fall freely into theA second receiver between said second set of edgeA supports.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which the sheet edge supports of each set are laterallyadjustably mounted and each include an upstanding sheet edge guide and a depending receiver side wall.

JAMES M. ROYAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,777,139 Fitz Gerald et al. Sept. 30, 1930 1,866,812 Lammerich July 12, 1932 1,947,396 Jaite Feb. 13, 1934 2,019,843 Clark Nov. 5, 1935 2,257,469 Keil Sept. 30, 1941 2,340,797 Cummings et al Feb. 1, 1944 2,371,174 Buccicone Apr. 24, 1945 

